Most young boys play with Toy Soldiers; some never stop! I'm proud to say that I am one that never has stopped. Toy Soldiers, painting the figures, history and miniature wargaming is what this site is all about.

Toy Soldiers and Dining Room Battles

Friday, April 28, 2017

If you are going to have an epic battle, you might as well have some epic Commanders along for the ride:

John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough.The
greatest general England has ever produced. He never fought a battle he
didn't win and never conducted a siege that was not successfully
concluded. Marlborough's stand has a Dutch officer reporting to
Marlborough while his trumpeteer and an escort from the Royal Scottish
Dragoons look on. Next to Marlborough is the Queen's Regiment.John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough. The
greatest general England has ever produced. He never fought a battle he
didn't win and never conducted a siege that was not successfully
concluded. Marlborough's stand has a Dutch officer reporting to
Marlborough while his trumpeteer and an escort from the Royal Scottish
Dragoons look on. Next to Marlborough is the Queen's Regiment.

Prince Francois Eugene of Savoy.
One of the great commanders of the Age of Lace; ironically, refused a
commission in the French Army by Louis XIV and thus entered Austrian
Service. Forged a great partnership with Marlborough. Prince Eugene is
escorted by a dragoon of the Prinz Eugene Dragoons and an officer of the
Darmstadt Kuirassiers.

Maximilian Emanuel II von Wittelsbach, Elector of Bavaria. Max
Emanuel II fought successfully against the Turks on many occasions and
defeated the Imperials (Austrians) at Sieghardin on March 11th, 1703.
Max is giving orders to a senior regimental officer while one of his
staff officers looks on. A dragoon from the Dragoon Regiment Santani
provides protection.

Camille d'Hostun, Comte de Tallard and Duc d'Hostun, Marshal of France. A
highly successful commander, he received his Marshal's baton when he
led 8,000 men against 20,000 Imperials at Speyerbach and captured the
city fortress of Landau. Marshal Tallard is accompanied by a staff
officer and French dragoons.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

The
opposing armies are starting to move toward each other somewhere in
Bavaria near the city of Oberbratwurst. Yep, it's 1704 and the War of
Spanish Succession is in full swing. The Grand Alliance has finished
deploying while the Bavarians and French are still formulating their
battle plan. The Anglo-Dutch forces will be commanded by myself, while
the Imperial Army, consisting of the Austrians, Hesse and Denmark will
be commanded by Honorable Son #4.

The French will be commanded by Honorable Son #2 and the Bavarian Army will be commanded by Honorable Son #3.Here is the order of battle for the French and Bavarians using Volley and Bayonet:Field Marshall Tallard (Army Commander)Reserve Ex=2

Friday, April 21, 2017

John H. Watson received his medical degree from The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, the University of London in 1878, and subsequently being trained at Netley as an assistant surgeon in the British Army. He joined British forces in India with the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers as a captain before being attached to the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot. Captain Watson saw service in the Second Anglo-Afghan War and was wounded at the Battle of Maiwand (July 1880) by a jezail bullet. Watson was almost killed in the long and arduous retreat from the battle, but was saved by his orderly, Murray.

Captain Watson discussing current operations with the officers of the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers.

For The Men Who Would be Kings we have added Captain Watson as a figure. By adding him to a unit for 1 point, he can automatically save one casualty per Attack or Fire action. If there
is a successful casualty during a Fire Action then roll one die to
determine if the leader or Captain Watson is a casualty; odds = Leader and
evens = Captain Watson. Then roll two dice and a 3 or lower will remove
the chosen figure as a casualty. Captain Watson cannot take over as the
leader and does not count as a model in the unit for combat or morale purposes.

During his recovery in hospital hesuffered enteric fever and was sent back to England on the troopship HMS Orontes following his recovery.With his health ruined, he was then given a daily pension of 11 shillings and 9 pence for nine months. In 1881, Watson is introduced by his friend Stamford to Sherlock Holmes, who is looking for someone to share rent at a flat in 221B Baker Street . . . the rest, as they say, is history.

It was right over there my dear Holmes that the sniper with the jezail hit me in both the shoulder and the leg . . . "

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Luke 24 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Has Risen

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.5 In
their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but
the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”8 Then they remembered his words.

9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.12 Peter,
however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of
linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what
had happened.

Friday, April 14, 2017

German Imperial Marines protecting an ancient temple and artifacts from the troglodytes of the Witch King of Sokar.

Schutztruppe (literally "protection force") was the official name of the colonial troops in the African territories of the German colonial empire from the late 19th century. Similar to other colonial armies, the Schutztruppe consisted of
volunteer European commissioned and non-commissioned officers, medical
and veterinary officers. Most enlisted ranks were generally recruited
locally.

Military contingents were formed in German East Africa, where they became famous as Askari, in the Kamerun colony of German West Africa, and in German South-West Africa. Control of the German colonies of New Guinea, in Samoa, and in Togoland was performed by small local police detachments. Kiautschou in China under Imperial Navy administration was a notable exception. As part of the East Asian Station the navy garrisoned at Tsingtao the marines of 3rd Sea Battalion, the only all-German unit with permanent status in an overseas protectorate.Name: Herr Doktor Professor Kernal von Sanders. A strong nationalist and humanitarian, von Sanders is vehemently opposed to the Society of Thule and uses his influence with the Imperial family, the court, his former military comrades (yes . . . he is that Oberst (Colonel) von Sanders) and the academic world.

A naval landing force of German marines under Hauptmann Richter support the Shutztruppe and Herr Doktor Professor von Sanders

In 1896 a central Schutztruppe command (Kommando der Schutztruppen)
was established as part of the Colonial Department. Despite its name,
this agency exercised no military leadership but served as a mere
administrative authority. It was located at Berlin’s Mauerstrasse, in
proximity to the Colonial Office and Herr Doktor Professor von Sanders. From there he recruits young and promising officers to his cause.

Name: Hauptmann (Captain) Jurgen Richter.

Pluck: 3+

Leadership: +2

Speed: +1

Fighting Value: +4

Shooting Value: +2

Talents: Fearless, Fanatic, Impervious, Iron will, Duelist (sabre)

Basic Equipment: Pistol, sabre

Armor: SRC Breastplate

Cost: 77 points

Name: German Marine

Pluck: 5+

Leadership: 0

Speed: 0

Fighting Value: +2

Shooting Value: +2

Talents: Bayonet Drill

Basic Equipment: Military rifle, bayonet

Armor: Brigadine

Cost: 22 points

Hauptmann Richter leading a unit of Schutztruppe Askari into battle.

Name: Askari

Pluck: 5+

Leadership: 0

Speed: +1

Fighting Value: +2

Shooting Value: +1

Talents: Bayonet Drill

Basic Equipment: Military rifle, bayonet

Armor: JackCost: 20

Tribal forces are used for scouting and skirmishing in the Schutztruppe.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

In 1890 the famous Professor George Nightengale accidentally discovered the Hidden Kingdom of Natagala. Our hero journeyed up to the big curve in the Merowe river that flowed out of Batal Colony and then
west into the Great Desert, where he eventually found a rich, primitive
culture in a hidden valley on the other side of the Great Desert; the Kingdom of Natagala. Professor Nightengale theorizes that the Natagala are related ethnically to the Matabele and Zulus.

The meeting of Professor Nightengale and King Mehluli.

With war having broken out in Chaimbelastan and unrest in neighboring Batal Colony, it is unknown what impact the Natagala Kingdom may have on current events. Though long isolated, they are a vibrant and rich kingdom that is starting to adopt and use modern technology. The backbone of the kingdom are it's fierce and formidable warriors - and the occasional witch doctor doesn't hurt either.

Monday, April 10, 2017

Sorry I couldn't resist the joke as I have 8 Zulu warriors from Warlord in 28mm hard plastic that I use as Waziri warriors for In Her Majesty's Name. I am planning on doing Zulus in 1/72 scale. The real reason of this post is to show off my new elephant grass terrain that I made using old CD's and plants made for aquariums.

Friday, April 7, 2017

Frederic Villiers (23 April 1851 – 5 April 1922), was a British war artist and war correspondent.Along with William Simpson and Melton Prior, Villiers was one of the most notable 'special' artists of the later 19th century. He may have been the model for the Kipling war-artist character, Dick Heldar in The Light that Failed.

Villiers on horseback in the Batal Colony prior to the fight in Chaimbelastan.

He reported on the Russo-Turkish War, witnessed the events at the Battle of Plevna and traveled to Afghanistan to cover the Second Afghan War that had broken out in 1878. In 1882 he was in Egypt to cover the Anglo-Egyptian War and was present at Battle of Tel-el-Kebir. The following year saw him in Russia to cover the coronation of Tsar Alexander III but he was soon back in North Africa, this time to provide sketches of the fighting in the Sudan during the Gordon relief expedition.

The last outpost before entering the Byber Pass from Batal to Chaimbelastan.

In 1898, he was one of the artists sent to cover the campaign in Sudan which culminated at Battle of Omdurman. Villiers brought along an early cine-camera and was filming when an explosion caused the boat to rock in the Nile River, tipping over the apparatus. His other campaigns included the Boer War where he accompanied the Kimberley Relief Column.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Continuing with my Anglo-Zulu War 1/72 project is the Frontier Light Horse led by (then) Lieutenant Colonel Redvers Buller, VC. The miniatures I selected are once again from HaT.

Cover art on the box.

The box set comes with 3 sprues of 4 mounted, 4 horses and 1 dismounted figure. The set is very versatile as I can see them also easily being used as Boers. Since I am mounted for The Men Who Would be Kings I will have some extras left over one of the figures with the pistol will be painted as the leader of a Natal Native Horse contingent.

Back of the box.

In July 1878 the unit of 276 officers and men marched from King William's Town to Pietermaritzburg and then to Sekhukhuneland for service there. They fought under Captain Robert Johnston Barton in Wood's Column during the Anglo-Zulu War. They acted as rearguard at Hlobane on 28 March 1879 where 20% of the 156 members were lost.

The full unit organized as Irregular Cavalry.

Captain Barton, the commanding officer was killedduring the defeat at Hlobane. At the end of that year the unit was disbanded. Two members of the Frontier Light Horse, Captain Cecil D'Arcy and Sergeant Edmund O'Toole were awarded the Victoria Cross for their acts of valour in endeavouring to save the lives of soldiers during the reconnaissance made before the Battle of Ulundi on 3 July 1879.

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Bennet Graham Burley (1840 – 1914) was a Scottish-born pirate and Confederate spy . . . so of course he became a journalist! Later in life, he changed his surname to Burleigh and became a celebrated war correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.

Bennet Burleigh watching the 14th Sikhs march out from a mission station in Chaimbelastan.

In 1881, Burleigh was hired by the London Telegraph to cover the war in Sudan.He was a correspondent for the Central News Agency during the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882.Burleigh was the first to report the failure of the Gordon relief expedition, which led to the slaughter of the Khartoum garrison. He also covered the Boer Warand the Russo-Japanese War. He authored several books on his experiences reporting on conflict.

Bennet Burleigh in 1898.

In 1895 he was one of the first correspondents to cover the war in Chaimbelastan and the neighboring Batal Colony. He was the first correspondent to send dispatches from the Bybher Pass that connects Batal with Chaimbelastan.

Bennet is a Perry Miniatures figure from their Newspaper Correspondents pack.

I am creating my own ImagiNations around the fictional country of Chaimelastan and the Batal Colony for my Colonial forces to operate in and around using The Men Who Would be Kings and In Her Majesty's Name. Bennet of course will be covering the action.

About Me

I'm a retired Colonel of Infantry (Regulars by God!) who likes to play with toy soldiers. I've been married to the love of my life since 1986, I have 5 honorable sons (my geeks in training), 3 daughters-in-law, 3 dogs, and a gazillion miniatures.
Hobbies include . . . wait for it . . . Toy Soldiers, Reading,
Wargaming, Reading about Toy Soldiers, History, Reading about Wargaming, Gardening, Reading about History and Reading.